Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanic Activity
KVERT INFORMATION RELEASE 23-07
Friday, June 07, 2007, 22:30 UTC (June 08, 11:30 KDT)

SUMMARY OF LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODES:

KAMCHATKA:
KLYUCHEVSKOY and SHEVELUCH: ORANGE
BEZYMIANNY and KARYMSKY: YELLOW
TOLBACHIK PLOSKY, KIZIMEN, AVACHINSKY, KORYAKSKY, MUTNOVSKY and GORELY: GREEN

NORTHERN KURILES:
CHIKURACHKI, EBEKO and ALAID: GREEN

CURRENT CHANGES IN COLOR CODE:
KARYMSKY NOW AT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW

KARYMSKY VOLCANO: 54°03'N, 159°27'E; Elevation 1,486 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW
PREVIOUS LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE WAS ORANGE

According to seismic and satellite data, ash eruptions have not occurred during the past two weeks. However, ash explosions up to 6 km (or 19,700 ft.) ASL are still possible at any time and could affect low-flying aircraft near the volcano.

Seismic activity was slightly above background levels last week. According to visual observation by IVS, gas-steam emissions were observed on June 05. No thermal anomalies or ash plumes were noted in satellite data.

KLYUCHEVSKOY VOLCANO; 56°03'N, 160°39'E; Elevation 4,750 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE

Eruptive activity continues. Ash explosions up to 8 km (26,250 ft.) ASL are possible without warning and could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

Seismicity remains above background levels. Volcanic earthquakes and strong volcanic tremor were registered. According to visual and video data, ash plumes rose up to 7.0 km (23,000 ft)ASL and extended to the east and south-east from the volcano on May 31 and June 01-06. Strombolian and Vulcanian eruptions from the summit crater, lava flows and phreatic bursts at the north-western and south-eastern flanks of the volcano were observed on May 31 and June 01-04. Clouds obscured the volcano on other days. According to satellite data, ash plumes extended for about 300 km (180 mi) to the south and east all week. A large thermal anomaly persists.

SHEVELUCH VOLCANO: 56°38'N, 161°19'E; Elevation 3,283 m, the dome elevation ~2,500 m.
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS ORANGE

Growth of the lava dome continues.. Ash explosions up to 10 km (32,800 ft.) ASL could occur at any time. The activity of the volcano could affect international and low-flying aircraft.

Seismic activity remains above background levels. Many shallow volcanic earthquakes were registered. According to seismic data, multiple ash plumes up to 6.5 km (21,300 ft) ASL occurred at the volcano last week. Gas-steam plumes up to 4.5 km (13,100ft) ASL were observed on June 01-03 and 05, ash plumes rose up to 4.5 km (14,800 ft) and 6.0 km (19,700 ft)ASL on June 01 and 06. Clouds obscured the volcano on other days. According to satellite data, ash plumes extended for 6-20 km (4-12 mi) to the south and southeast from the volcano on June 03 and 06. A big thermal anomaly was noted all week.

BEZYMIANNY VOLCANO: 55°58'N, 160°36'E; Elevation 2,895 m
CURRENT LEVEL OF CONCERN COLOR CODE IS YELLOW

Growth of the lava dome continues. The activity of the volcano could affect low-flying aircraft in the vicinity of the volcano.

Strong seismicity at nearby Klyuchevskoy makes it difficult to characterize seismicity at Bezymianny. According to visual and video data, gas-steam plumes rose up to 3.2 km (10,500 ft) ASL and extended to the east and south on June 01-05. Clouds obscured the volcano on other days. According to satellite data, a thermal anomaly over the lava dome was noted on June 03-05.

IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, PLEASE CONTACT:

Sergey Ushakov, KVERT, IVS FED RAS
E-mail: ushakov@kscnet.ru  
Tel. (41522) 58627

Irina Nuzhdina, KVERT, KB GS RAS
E-mail: ssl@emsd.iks.ru  
Tel. (41522) 59523

Tom Murray, Scientist-in-Charge, AVO
E-mail: tlmurray@usgs.gov  
Tel. 907-786-7497

The Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) is a non-commercial cooperative program of the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO, USA), the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (IVS) FED RAS and the Kamchatkan Branch of Geophysical Survey (KB GS) RAS (Russia). KVERT staff is available in the office from 8:30 AM till 6:00 PM (KST or KDT) and by phone during the evenings. KVERT uses daily satellite imagery, information from remote scientific observation stations, real-time seismic data for 10 volcanoes, and other information to monitor activity at Kamchatkan and Northern Kuriles Volcanoes.

The official web-page of KVERT (the Institute of Volcanology and Seismology FED RAS): http://www.kscnet.ru/ivs/kvert/index.html
Archive of daily information KB GS RAS: ftp://emsd.iks.ru/pub/DATA/RTS/Volcanoes
KVERT Information Releases at the web-page of AVO (Alaska Volcano Observatory): http://www.avo.alaska.edu/activity/avoreport.php?view=kaminfo